


The Fable of a Hypothetical Journey

by MistBorn_SprenDeath



Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:48:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28213416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MistBorn_SprenDeath/pseuds/MistBorn_SprenDeath
Summary: Wilbur talks to Tubbo before the results of the ElectionHypothetical - but weirdly specific (implications that it’s done on purpose)- a request from the wonderful Journey's Fable based off of the FFvii fic "Hypothetically" on Fanfiction.net :D -
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	The Fable of a Hypothetical Journey

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Journeys Fable (0nlyJourney13)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/0nlyJourney13/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Hypothetically](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/729249) by Khorale. 



Tommy slapped him on the back cheerfully, “Don’t worry about it, big man! Wilbur just wants to talk to you about the upcoming election!”

Tubbo wasn’t so sure about that. If Wilbur had something to discuss about the presidency he would be lucky to be included, normally it was just Wilbur and Tommy who made the decisions. 

Wilbur was waiting in the van for him, and Tommy left quickly after Wilbur chased him out.

There was something...odd about Wilbur. 

He looked exhausted, like he hadn’t been sleeping, and there was the faint shadow of a beard beginning to grow.

“You wanted to speak with me, Wilbur?

Wilbur blinked blearily at him for a moment before he sighed sitting down. 

“I did, I did. Sit down, Tubbo.”

Hesitantly, Tubbo did so. The results were supposed to be coming out in a couple days but something told him that the results had already been tallied.

“Tubbo, what if-” Wilbur broke off and he sighed and shook his head, “Tommy wanted me to talk with you. He said that you’ve been worried about the results.”

Tubbo wanted to say that Wilbur seemed to have been worrying about the results as well, but he settled for nodding instead.

Leaning back, Wilbur seemed to calculate something as he stared at Tubbo. 

“I want to try something with you, Tubbo. I’m going to give you an entirely hypothetical situation and I want you to tell me how you would react. Can you do that?”

With a worried look, Tubbo turned to face Wilbur more fully. “What?”

“Can you do that?” Wilbur repeated, eyes narrowing.

As if there was a ghost in the room, a shiver went down Tubbo’s spine. “U-Uh, yes. I can. But why?”

Waving off his question, Wilbur leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table. “I will propose to you a hypothetical scenario, and all I want to know is: what will you do?”

When the pause of silence stretched long Tubbo realized that Wilbur was waiting for a response. “O-Okay. I can do that.”

Wilbur nodded, and his shoulders seemed to fall a little.

Was Wilbur tense?

“Your loyalties lay with L’Manberg, correct?”

Tubbo slowly nodded. “Yes? But what does that have to do with the hypothetical situation?”

Waving a dismissive hand, Wilbur continued, “So in a hypothetical situation where Schlatt wins the presidential election-”

With a shake of his head, Tubbo interrupted, “But Schlatt’s party has had such little time to build up a proper campaign-”

“Hypothetically he signed with Swag 2020 for a coalition government. What would you do?’

Wilbur’s gaze felt sharp and judgemental, and Tubbo felt the same shiver go down his spine. “There’s not really much I could do about Schlatt winning as president. If anything, I’d watch Tommy more carefully and spend more time with him to try and keep him out of trouble.”

There was an edge to Wilbur’s expression, though Tubbo wasn’t sure what it was. “What if, in this hypothetical situation, Schlatt banished Tommy and me from L’Manberg?”

He couldn’t keep his horrified expression off of his face, “Banish you and Tommy?! Schlatt would never-!”

“What would you do, Tubbo?” Wilbur’s voice was cold and crisp, and made Tubbo freeze.

How was he _supposed_ to respond? 

“U-Um, I guess I would follow you two. I couldn’t ever just _leave_ Tommy-”

Wilbur cut him off with a smile, “Hypothetically you can’t leave.”

Tubbo felt cold. 

“Th-Then I would stay in L’Manberg a-and keep tabs on everything that’s happening, give Tommy and you information.”

Wilbur’s gaze on him was almost as uncomfortable as the proposed scenario.

“We create a secret base to hide in while we are in exile. What’s the first thing you should do?”

Tubbo shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “U-Um, I guess I would dig out a tunnel for easy access to get to and from L’Manberg and your base.”

Shaking his head, Wilbur sighed. “No, we want to keep the base hidden from Schlatt. A tunnel straight to our _secret_ base would be the opposite of helpful.”

Although Wilbur was older, Tubbo didn’t necessarily think he was always right, though Tommy seemed to.

“We can always hide the tunnel in a fake dead end with andesite and some ores.”

Wilbur paused, blinking a couple times. “That isn’t a bad idea.” His gaze sharpened again. “But you can’t expect a single layer of rock to protect an entire tunnel.”

Nodding, Tubbo felt the tension in the air loosen slightly. 

“What else would you do, Tubbo?”

“Um, I guess it would be a good idea to try and get close to Schlatt.”

Wilbur’s eyes narrowed. “Why would you be getting closer to the man who exiled Tommy and me?”

The ice cold tension was back.

“W-Well I can’t give you guys helpful information if I’m not close to the source now, can I?”

Still glaring slightly at him, Wilbur nodded slowly. “I suppose. Say I ask you to keep an important secret about explosives laced in Schlatt’s next location.”

Tubbo didn’t like where this was going. 

“I guess Tommy and I-”

“You can’t tell Tommy.”

The air in his lungs left him suddenly, and for a moment Tubbo felt light headed. 

“You don’t want me to tell Tommy about it?”

Wilbur nodded.

“I-I guess then I would help Schlatt prepare for the event, making sure he was where the explosives were placed.”

“You have the code word to set off the explosives. If you say them, I’ll press the button.”

Tubbo felt uncomfortable seeing the haze in Wilbur’s eyes.

“W-Will anyone else get hurt?”

Wilbur shrugged, leaning back.

“Would it really matter? The whole point would be to take Schlatt out of power.”

Hesitantly, Tubbo nodded. 

“Um, I guess then I’d give the code word.”

“Before I can press the button, Schlatt reveals that he knows you’re a traitor and has you publicly executed.”

Tubbo froze.

“What? Why-?”

“He found the tunnel, and he discovered the secret base.”

“But- what about Tommy? And you? Won’t you both be there to-?”

As though he were disappointed, Wilbur sighed and shook his head. “We won’t be able to protect you from an entire nation, Tubbo.”

“Tommy would be mad.”

Wilbur nodded, a small smile on his face. “Oh, definitely. He’d probably have a fist fight with whoever took your second life.”

Faintly, Tubbo registered Wilbur’s words, but he felt mostly sick.

How could Wilbur act so casual about this, even if it was a hypothetical?

“I-I guess there wouldn’t be much that I could do. A-After I respawn I’d come straight to your guys’s side seeing as Schlatt now knows I’m a traitor.”

Tilting his head with a small smile, Wilbur continued, “Schlatt has placed buttons all over the secret base. He says he’s moved all the explosives. What do you do?”

“Remove all the buttons.”

“There are too many.” 

“Avoid pressing the buttons?”

Wilbur gave a disappointed hum but nodded. 

“Dream is backing Schlatt.”

“So we’d just have to gather people who are also against Schlatt.”

Brow furrowing, Wilbur shook his head. 

“No one is on our side, Tubbo.”

Tubbo saw the flickering of paranoia in Wilbur’s eyes, something that he knew Wilbur had struggled with when he and Tommy were younger.

“I don’t think that’s right. Plenty of people would want to stop a president who _exiled_ two of L’Manberg’s founding members.”

Wilbur sighed, again, as if he were disappointed in Tubbo’s naivety. 

“Even if there are, Dream reveals that there’s a traitor.”

Hesitating, Tubbo tried to figure out what Wilbur wanted him to say.

“...How do we know he isn’t lying to throw us off?”

As though he had been right, Wilbur gave Tubbo a smug look.

“There have already been multiple betrayals. Fundy sided with Schlatt. The person who took your second life was supposedly on our side.”

Tubbo didn’t feel comfortable with the Wilbur he was seeing. 

“Well then the person who executed me must obviously be the traitor.”

Shaking his head, Wilbur smiled.

“That’s much too obvious, Tubbo. What about Tommy?”

“Wh-What about Tommy?”

Wilbur leveled him with an unimpressed stare.

“Do you think Tommy would be the traitor?”

It was as if the world had frozen.

Tubbo finally managed to choke out, “Tommy?”

Wilbur nodded.

“Yes. Do you think Tommy would be the traitor?”

Tubbo exhaled heavily, for a moment.

“ _Why_ would Tommy be the traitor, Wilbur?”

“Because Dream said it would be someone we’d least expect. Besides, we never expected Eret to betray us.”

Tubbo didn’t respond for a moment. 

Why would Tommy ever _want_ to betray L’Manberg?

It just didn’t make sense.

Wilbur continued as the silence lingered, “We gather our resources and we go to confront Schlatt and Dream. Once we arrive-”

“Schlatt dies of a heart attack.” Tubbo interrupted.

Blinking in surprise, Wilbur looked at him, incredulous. “What?”

“We find him drunk out of his mind, and he mutters something about toast before he dies of a heart attack.”

Wilbur’s brows furrowed. 

“Again, what? If Schlatt was that weak that entire time why would he remain in power? And smelling toast before having a heart attack is just a myth, that’s not real.”

Tubbo shrugged, giving a nervous grin. 

“You said this was a hypothetical scenario.”

With a sigh, Wilbur nodded.

“Okay, fine. Schlatt dies of a heart attack and I return to the presidency.

Tubbo didn’t mention how that didn’t seem correct if he had lost the presidential vote before the election.

"I step down from the presidency.”

Wilbur grinned at Tubbo’s surprised expression.

“Who should be president?" 

"Tommy," Tubbo responded immediately. 

"Why?" 

Wilbur pressed, and Tubbo hesitated.

Tubbo knew the other adults didn’t see what he saw in Tommy, but none of them spent as much time with the loud blonde as he did. 

Tommy may have been chaotic, but there was determination and cleverness hidden underneath his loud boisterous posturing. 

Tommy hid his strengths because no one believed in him.

"Be-because Tommy is strong and even though he’s the youngest here, he is a good leader." The reasoning sounded weak when he spoke out loud, but Wilbur just moved on quickly.

"Even _you_ would be a better choice, you’re mature and are willing to make hard choices. Choose again with a better reasoning." 

Tubbo gaped at the other man. 

Wilbur’s impassive gaze drilled into him. 

"No offense, Wilbur, but does it really matter who I choose then? I think Tommy would be a good president." Tubbo protested. 

Wilbur looked disappointed _,_ as though he expected Tubbo to pick someone other than Tommy. 

"I have the charismatic personality to benefit my position as president, Tubbo. Tommy is much too impulsive and immature."

Something in Tubbo’s heart broke for Tommy.

"You really think Tommy isn’t a good fit?" 

"No," said Wilbur with an impassive shrug, "But we’ve already beaten this bush for far too long, and I’ve already explained myself." 

"But, Wilbur-" 

“You’ve been selected to be president.”

Tubbo gapped at him.

“What?”

“You’ve been selected to be the next president of L’Manberg.”

“I-I guess I would be expected to get up and give a speech. And then everyone would return home.”

"Not quite, Tubbo." 

Wilbur smiled. 

It wasn’t a smile that Tubbo was familiar with. 

It was a sharp wicked smile that seemed more like he was baring his teeth than an actual grin. 

"What do you mean? Is the scenario not over yet?" 

Was it even possible for the grin to get even _wider_? 

"No, no, no, Tubbo." 

That maniac gleam in his eyes could _not_ be healthy. 

"You see," Wilbur continued with the unholy gleam in his eyes, "Because there seems to be someone missing." 

"Someone?"

"Me."

"...You?" 

"Yes," Wilbur hissed, "I slipped away when I passed on the presidency. But even more concerning is Technoblade.”

“What? When did Technoblade join? And why is he concerning?”

Wilbur grinned.

“Technoblade is our brother, of course we would ask him to join us. But he’s big on anarchy. He’s killing after the peace has been reached. What do you do?" 

"Wh-What? Make sure Tommy’s safe and get everyone evacuated as quickly as possible," Tubbo replied, "But, Wilbur, _why_ -" 

"Tommy ends up separated from you, and everyone is panicking." Brown eyes drilled into blue, and Tubbo felt completely lost. 

"Where did you go, Wilbur? And how are we supposed to-?”

Wilbur raised any eyebrow, "It’s one man against a nation. Could you really not take him down?"

"I mean- I guess we could."

"Phil joins the SMP," Wilbur announced, "And-"

“Wait, what?! Why would Philza join-”

“Tubbo.” Wilbur’s voice was cool as he cut Tubbo off. “This is a _hypothetical_ scenario. We’ve been over this, don’t make me say it again.”

Tubbo felt his mouth shut with a click. 

“Technoblade is fighting everyone - but the explosives that I laid are set off.”

“ _WHAT?!_ ”

Wilbur shrugged lazily. “When I vanished, I went to go and press the button.”

“Why would you do that?!”

Making direct eye contact with Tubbo, Wilbur spoke softly. 

“I was the traitor.”

Horror filled Tubbo’s chest.

Why would Wilbur be the traitor? 

With a small grin, Wilbur continued.

“Technoblade spawns two withers and Phil kills me.” 

“What?!”

“You have a split second decision. Help the others fight the withers or immediately fight Techno.”

Tubbo’s mind scrambled for an answer.

“You took too long, Tubbo. All of L’Manberg is nothing but craters and are being filled with items drops. The withers have cornered you. You have to choose between Tommy or saving yourself.”

"T-that's not fair!" Tubbo snapped back angrily, "How can I choose?!" 

"It's only a hypothetical scenario," Wilbur returned calmly, "In this situation you need a clear head. I will give you five seconds to calm down, before both Technoblade and a wither crashes down on you and Tommy, both of you are on the opposite sides of the explosions. You can either sacrifice yourself or go to help Tommy." 

"Why did you push the butto-?!" Tubbo stopped. 

Now was not the time to follow on that train of thought, with his and Tommy's lives riding on the precious five seconds he had to think. He had to save both of them, but how?! 

"Your time is up, Tubbo," Wilbur said smoothly, watching him intently, "Now give me your answer." 

"I...uh..." Tubbo tried to stall for time, but the harsh glare from Wilbur told him it would not work.

"I'll call out to Tommy while running to face Technoblade. Tommy knows how to fight, s-so he got out just fine. I manage to avoid Technoblade and we - we move to the higher ground to regroup. I go back to look for any other survivors and... um... keep the path I came in from clear so nothing can block our way." 

"A nice solution," Wilbur remarked dryly, "But I doubt Tommy’s _skills_ can protect him against _two_ withers. But I will let it slide. Tommy races to find me, and he goes up to the button room while you are still rounding up the survivors. What will you do?" 

"I will follow him and protect him," Tubbo said firmly.

"Assume you failed, and he is dead-" 

"No he isn't, because I saved him." Tubbo cut in desperately, "Technoblade is only confronting people who are actively attacking him and the withers, so if I rush to Tommy he won’t have time to finish him off. Then I come and take him someplace safe." 

Wilbur sighed, "Not everything is perfectly timed that way, Tubbo." 

"By the time you came get to Tommy, Techno has destroyed all of L’Manberg and he moves on to his objective-" 

"What is his objective? You never explained it to me! Why is he suddenly blowing everything apart and fighting us?" Tubbo demanded exasperatedly, "I thought he was supposed to be on our side! And why is everything so specific?! What are the chances of this even happening?!" 

"Oh, you'd be surprised," Wilbur shrugged, "So Techno’s motives are unknown, I am dead, and Tommy is unable to aid you because he’s in shock. What will you do then?" 

"I will get him to safety, then come back and confront Technoblade. I refuse to believe he would have done this without a good reason." 

"By that time everyone would already have lost your last life," Wilbur said, "So you better find some way to defeat Techno before anyone bleeds out and dies. _Then_ you have the time for questioning." 

"Honestly, Wilbur? There is no way I am able to defeat Technoblade. I would not take the chance of dying and leaving anyone to die as well, so I would save them before going after him." 

Wilbur sighed deeply, "Tubbo, you have to believe in yourself. You stand at least a chance-" 

"I couldn’t beat Technoblade even if I wanted to, Wilbur. Besides, I _know_ I can still help the others."

"You’re only one kid, Tubbo. You can’t be everywhere all at-" 

"I can still make sure everyone is okay!" 

"Hypothetically, Tubbo, hypothetically." 

Tubbo bit back his retort.

Why was it that no one else seemed to see the darkness that lurked in Wilbur Soot’s eyes?

“Wilbur, what does any of this have to do with the elections?”

The cold feeling thickened, and Tubbo held back a shiver.

“It’s just a hypothetical situation, Tubbo. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Tubbo let out a nervous laugh, leaning away from the table.

“Okay, well, I think I’ll get going-”

“Sit down, Tubbo. I’m having fun still. Why don’t we continue.”

Fidgeting as he sat back down Tubbo held his breath for a moment.

“U-Um, hypothetically, your mom is a samsung fridge and she isn’t happy with what you and Technoblade have been doing.”

"My mother is a samsung fridge," Wilbur spoke flatly, as if he were disappointed. 

"A samsung fridge," Tubbo confirmed. "Who wants to sail the seas and travel under the stars.”

After a moment of hesitation Tubbo added, “Her name is Clara." 

Silence. 

Wilbur pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

“Okay, fine. Our mother is a samsung fridge by the name of Clara and she’s not happy with us. I’m dead and Techno has unleashed the withers.”

Tubbo quickly cut in. “What if, hypothetically, Tommy kept you from leaving? A-And Tommy was able to get the skulls before Technoblade could place all of them.”

Rolling his eyes, Wilbur leaned forward. “I’m fairly certain Techno would have at least a stack of wither skulls just to be safe, but fine. Our mother, Clara, has arrived. I start protesting, turning to blow up L’Manberg. How will you stop me? ”

Tubbo shook his head, "I can't attack you, Wilbur. You're obviously not in your right mind, so the situation isn't necessarily your fault." 

"Why?" Wilbur asked, eyes narrowed.

"Everyone is safe and alive thanks to my brilliant scenario," Tubbo reminded him. 

Wilbur seemed to tense before he forced himself to relax. "Technoblade fires a rocket and Tommy bleeds out because no one has any healing pots," he challenged. 

"Philza saves him!" Tubbo cut in quickly, not wanting his friend hypothetically dying. 

Brows furrowing, Wilbur leaned back. “In this hypothetical situation Philza never arrived.”

“U-Um, he came because Clara called him!”

“Clara?”

  
  


"Samsung fridge, remember?" Tubbo nervously smiled.

"Really, Tubbo? This is supposed to be a _realistic_ hypothetical scenario." Wilbur spoke slowly.

Tubbo tensed, leaning away. "I stopped caring when you suddenly decided to blow up L’Manberg for a realistic scenario." 

Wilbur shrugged and gave a lazy grin. 

“Fine, then I attack Tommy.”

"And I would try to hit you on the head with my sword, hopefully knocking the crazy out of you." 

Tubbo froze as the last bit slipped out.

He hadn’t meant to call Wilbur crazy to his face.

"Is there any guarantee that I would stay down?" Wilbur raised an eyebrow, "After all, you are unenhanced and just holding up the netherite sword would take all your strength. Adrenaline is not good enough for an excuse." 

"Well... I use my rage of you hurting Tommy and traumatizing all of L’Manberg for a burst of energy," Tubbo gestured vaguely up, "And I raise the sword up and let gravity do the swinging. And since you're _tough_ , Wilbur, your head won't be split open." 

Wilbur’s smile looked almost predatory. 

"Alright, somehow that worked. I’m unconscious. Now what will you do?" 

"I won't contact Dream, since he had teamed up with Schlatt.” Tubbo thought for a moment, and tried to still his shaking hands. “W-We’ll take you to the jail, u-under the White house." 

Wilbur said, "That won’t look good for the public image of L’manberg. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone tried to kill Techno or me-" 

"Whoa whoa whoa, who's arresting who and killing Techno?" Tommy’s voice seemed to cut through the tension in the air like sword through paper. 

“Tommy!” 

Tubbo quickly stood.

"L’Manberg," Wilbur said as though it was obvious. 

Tubbo laughed nervously. "W-We're making up a hypothetical situation right now, Tommy." 

He could see the way Tommy read his nervousness and panic.

"Nobody's killing anybody." Tubbo scratched the back of his neck nervously.

"Oh, okay..." Tommy gave him a worried look. "When you didn't come out of the van for two hours straight I was getting worried-" 

"We were just discussing," Tubbo began- 

"A silly hypothetical situation," -Wilbur finished with a cold smile. 

The cold feeling of fear settled inside Tubbo’s gut. 

Tommy looked between the two of them for a moment before he turned to Wilbur. 

Tubbo’s heart jumped.

"You could have included me, Wilbur! Why did I have to go get blaze powder for potions?! We don’t even need any!" 

"I was going to task Tubbo with making some potions tomorrow." Wilbur shrugged. 

With his heart pounding loudly in his chest, Tubbo wondered if Tommy knew what was happening. 

He certainly noticed Tubbo’s distress.

But did he see the shadows in Wilbur’s eyes? 

The person Wilbur was underneath the cheerful mask was cold and paranoid. 

"After we get back to L'Manberg," Tommy confirmed. 

"Oh yes, you two were planning on going stomping around in the swamps tomorrow weren’t you?" 

"Wilbur, you won't be actually blowing up...?" Tubbo trailed off hesitantly. 

Tommy choked. "You'll _what_?!" 

"I only added that to the hypothetical scenario to spice things up a bit, Tubbo " Wilbur said. 

"Sorry," Tubbo nervously tried to lighten the mood while Tommy was there, "But your samsung fridge mom thing is pretty funny..." 

Tommy looked completely lost. "What's going on here? Tubbo’s cracking _jokes_ and you're not letting me in on them, and Wilbur’s blowing stuff up?" 

"No, Tommy, Wilbur isn’t d-destroying anything," Tubbo assured him, "B-Besides, don’t we have to prepare for our trip tomorrow?"

Tommy recognized Tubbo’s silent plea to leave. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. It was probably dumb anyways.”

Slinging his arm around Tubbo’s shoulders, Tommy led him to the door. 

“I’m taking Tubbo so we can prep for our trip tomorrow, ‘kay, Wil?”

Wilbur’s only response was a dismissive hum.

When they finally stood outside, Tommy tugged Tubbo away from the van.

“Big T, what’s going on?”

Tubbo gave Tommy a weak smile.

Tommy never could see the darkness in Wilbur’s smiles.

“Nothing, Tommy. Let’s go get ready for tomorrow.”


End file.
